Students focus on promoting peace (GALLERY)

Jasa Anderson tries out a pinwheel that she made in her class at Liza Jackson Preparatory School. Students made pinwheels with messages of hope and peace written on them to be displayed along Mary Esther Boulevard for the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.

DEVON RAVINE / Daily News

By KATIE TAMMEN / Daily News

Published: Friday, September 6, 2013 at 05:37 PM.

FORT WALTON BEACH — As adults talk about a possible confrontation between the United States and Syria, students at Liza Jackson Preparatory School spent Thursday morning focused on promoting peace.

Armed only with paper, some markers, scissors and pins, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at the charter school made pinwheels and wrote positive messages on them.

“Even though I know I’m not making a big difference, I’m doing something,” said 13-year-old Meredith Anderson as she folded a sheet of paper to make a pinwheel.

Students fashioned the small declarations of peace after reading a story about a Palestinian boy who sent kites with messages on them over a wall in Israel after his brother was killed. The kites eventually were returned to him.

“What we want for them to understand is that promoting peace is within their power,” teacher Angela Buchanan said.

After they read a story about the boy and discussed Israel and the Palestinians, thestudents were asked to think of ways they could improve their surroundings either by reaching out to someone who is sad or apologizing for an argument, Buchanan said.

Jonathan Bachtel said he would focus more about helping create peace.

“The world would be a better place if we had peace everywhere,” the 14-year-old said.

Teachers will place the more than 300 pinwheels on a median on Mary Esther Boulevard to mark the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.

The ultimate goal is to prompt a conversation between students and the community about all the small ways they can trigger peace, Buchanan said.

Students fashioned the small declarations of peace after reading a story about a Palestinian boy who sent kites with messages on them over a wall in Israel after his brother was killed. The kites eventually were returned to him.

“What we want for them to understand is that promoting peace is within their power,” teacher Angela Buchanan said.

After they read a story about the boy and discussed Israel and the Palestinians, thestudents were asked to think of ways they could improve their surroundings either by reaching out to someone who is sad or apologizing for an argument, Buchanan said.

Jonathan Bachtel said he would focus more about helping create peace.

“The world would be a better place if we had peace everywhere,” the 14-year-old said.

Teachers will place the more than 300 pinwheels on a median on Mary Esther Boulevard to mark the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.

The ultimate goal is to prompt a conversation between students and the community about all the small ways they can trigger peace, Buchanan said.